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strat titte.

IMPEOVED HARNESS BUcELE @La rlgehule marsh in it tijm tttters fttent mi'nmtiltg tart tf tige tinte.

TO ALL WHOM Il MAY' CONCERN` Be it known that I, GEORGE S. CALDWELL, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buckles for harness tugs and other similar uses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a fullland exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

-Figure l is an elevation of my improved buckle with a tug resting therein.

Figure 2, an edge view of the same.

Figure 3, a face view, with one side of the buckle removed.

Figure 4, perspective view of one edge of the buckle.

Figure 5, a similar view of. one of the jaws, removed.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This improved buckle is intended more particularly for holding the tugs of harness, though itis applicable for many other uses. 4

This invention consists in the combination and arrangement with the buckle frame of two toothed jaws, situatedin the opposite edges of the frame, and having pins resting in inclined slots or arranged in an equivalent manner, so that when the tug or strap is applied between the jaws the drawing action will cause the jaws to approach cach other and embed the teeth in the edges of the said tug or strap instead of in the faces, as in other clamping buckles, by which much wear and strain on the leather are prevented.

As represented in the drawings, A is the buckle frame, -rnadeA up of the sides a a, preferably of skeleton form to lessen the'weight, and having a central passage through for the reception of the tug or strap C. The frame is provided with loops or eyesb c df, as shown, for the attachment, respectively, of the hame-strap, the pad-strap, the belly-band, and the hreeching. In the edges of the buckle frame are made openings g g, of suitable size and extent to receive jaws B B. These jaws have sharp teeth 7i t, pointing forward or in such a direction as to catch the tug or strap as the horse draws forward. They are also providedwith pins or bearings z"`z',"w'l`1ich rest in inclined slots Ic lc of the sides of the frame, or have some equivalent arrangement, so that when the tug catches the teeth the jaws will clamp down upon its edges.

The device thus constituted is very eifective in holding the tug or strap in place and obviating wear upon the leather. It will be seen that the pins of the jaws playing freely allow the latter to adapt themselves exactly withhthe contact surface of the tug, so that a bearing is produced the whole length of the jaws. The teeth embed themselves dircctly'in the edges of the tug and thus produce a firm hold.

Buckles have before been employed in which .wedges are made to clamp on the face or broadside of the leather as it runs through, but since the bearing comes on the ilat part -or at right langles to my bearing, the

strain at a given point soon wears the leather through or weakens it so as to cause it lto break. In my arrangement there is no difficulty of this kind, for the bearing coming directly against the edges, instead of the broadside of the leather, leaves an extended thicknessbetw'een the bearing jaws which can never wear out or break. The hold is also much more effective. The jaws, by being situated at the edges of the frame, leave the whole central space free for the reception of the tug; ltherefore the buckle can be made much thinner than in those devices where a wedge is elnployed bearing against the flat 'Sides of the strap.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination and arrangement of the buckle, as herein set forth, viz, with the toothedjaws B B resting in the edges of the frame and bearing upon the edges of the tug or strap by means of the pins and inclined slots t'r, or equivalent, as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.v

' l GEo. s. CALDWELL.

Witnesses:

1%. F. Oscoop,

vFRED. A. Haren. 

